Controller Not Detected? Fixes for PC, Mac and Phone

1. Press a button on the controller

Browsers hide controllers from web pages until you press a button while the page is open. This stops sites from identifying you by the devices plugged into your computer. Click once anywhere on the page, then press a face button such as A or Cross. Moving a stick is not always enough.

2. Check the cable or the pairing

USB: many USB cables only carry power, so the controller charges but the computer never sees it. Use the cable that came with the controller or one you know transfers data. Plug it straight into the computer, not into a hub or a monitor port, and try a second port.

Bluetooth: the controller must be paired in your computer's or phone's Bluetooth settings first. Put it in pairing mode:

• PS5 DualSense: hold the PS button and the Create button for about three seconds until the light bar flashes.
• PS4 DualShock 4: hold the PS button and the Share button until the light bar flashes.
• Xbox Series and recent Xbox One controllers: turn it on, then hold the small pair button on the top edge until the Xbox logo flashes fast. Older Xbox One controllers without Bluetooth need a USB cable or the Xbox Wireless Adapter.
• Switch Pro Controller: hold the small sync button on the top edge until the player lights run back and forth.

If it was paired before and now fails, remove it from the Bluetooth list and pair it again.

3. Close apps that grab the controller

Steam Input, DS4Windows, reWASD and similar tools can take over a controller and hide it or present it as a different device. Quit them completely, including from the system tray, then reload the tester. In DS4Windows, an option called Hide DS4 Controller can make the real controller invisible to other apps.

4. Try another browser

Chrome and Edge give the most complete support for controllers. Firefox and Safari support the Gamepad API too, but a controller that one browser misses can show up in another. Make sure the browser is up to date, and close other tabs that might be using the controller, such as a cloud gaming tab.

5. Check that the system sees it

• Windows: press Win + R, type joy.cpl and press Enter. If the controller is not in the list, the problem is the connection or a driver. Open Device Manager and look for a warning icon under Human Interface Devices or Xbox Peripherals.
• macOS: open System Settings, then Game Controllers (on recent versions) or Bluetooth. A paired controller shows there.
• Android: pair it in Settings, then Bluetooth, then open the tester in Chrome.
• iPhone and iPad: pair it in Settings, then Bluetooth. Apple supports Xbox, PlayStation and other MFi controllers. Then open the tester in Safari.

6. It shows up, but the layout is wrong

If the tester says "non-standard layout", the browser did not recognise the controller's mapping. The tester then lists its raw buttons and axes by number, which is still enough to check that each one works. Switching the controller to its XInput or Switch mode, where it has one, often gives the standard layout. Many 8BitDo controllers have a mode switch or a start-up button combination for this.

Still nothing?

Try the controller on a second device. If it fails everywhere with a known good cable, the controller itself is likely faulty. If it works elsewhere, the issue is your computer's drivers or settings. Once it connects, run the stick drift test while you are at it.